In one private company I worked for, the CEO created a "bonus pool," to be split amongst the top 15 managers, salespeople, and himself, according to salary percentage.

Everyone was excited about this, as wages were not great. That is, until the end of the year, when we realized the CEO's cut of the bonus pool was $1 million, and the remainder, to be split amongst everyone else, was fairly skimpy.

The next few years were similar, until some of the VPs convinced him he shouldn't be a part of the pool--he was already making a huge salary. He agreed and made a wonderful speech to the group about removing himself.

We were anxious to see what this next year held. But at the end of the year, the numbers were still similar. What happened? The CEO just took the same $1 million before it ever reached the bonus pool. And now he was getting his from the beginning of the year instead of waiting like the rest of us!
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